Need a laugh? 8 great comedy shows, from Kathy Griffin to Providence's Paul Mecurio

Moving from Classical High School to practicing law on Wall Street would be a Rhode Island success story in itself, but Paul Mecurio’s radical swerve to stand-up comedy is where he’s garnered the most accolades.

The Emmy and Peabody Award-winning comedian/actor and Rhode Island native currently works for and is a recurring performer on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." He brings his unique one-man “Permission to Speak” Off Broadway show home for a March 9 stop at The United Theatre in Westerly.

Dubbed a “ground-breaking, emotional live theater experience,” “Permission to Speak” draws on Mecurio’s mental agility and ability to blend his own jokes, witty anecdotes and organic connections he quickly forges with audience members to craft a hysterical, unique experience.

The 7:30 p.m. show takes place in The United’s Black Box Theatre at 5 Canal St. Tickets are $35 general admission. Go to unitedtheatre.org for more information.

Mecurio’s Rhode Island homecoming is just one of the comedy sets promising a few hours of side-splitting laughter and provocative punchlines in the months to come. Here are a few other recommendations:

Kathy Griffin “My Life on the PTSD-List,” Thursday, Feb. 15, at 7:30 p.m., at The Vets Auditorium in Providence (thevetsri.com). Tickets range from $45 to $85 to see the latest tour by this two-time Emmy and Grammy award winner. Griffin has a conversational delivery and blends stories, celebrity gossip and brutal jabs at herself and other entertainers.

Tom Cotter, Thursday, Feb. 29, through Sunday, March 2, 8 p.m., Mohegan Sun (mohegansun.com). Tickets range from $30 to $45. Another Providence native, Cotter was the first comedian to be a finalist on the reality show “America’s Got Talent.” He returns to the area with his stand-up collection of hysterical stories and one-liners.

Wanda Sykes, "Please and Thank You," Sunday, March 3, 7 p.m., The Vets Auditorium (thevetsri.com). Tickets range from $29.50 to $120. The Emmy-winning stand-up comedian, writer, actress and producer has been making people laugh for more than 20 years. In her first major tour in six years, look for her to tackle hot-button issues, from the pandemic to politics.

Terry Fator “On the Road Again,” Friday, March 8, 8 p.m., Foxwoods (foxwoods.com). Tickets are $49.50. Ventriloquist Fator and his puppets – the cast includes Vikki the Cougar, Latin Lover Fernando V. Francisco and Duggie Scott Walker – takes his successful Las Vegas show on the road. The night is filled with musical impersonations of performers from Willie Nelson to Frank Sinatra, as well as comedic skits.

Lewis Black, “Goodbye Yeller Brick Road: The Final Tour,” March 21, 8 p.m., The Vets (thevetsri.com). Tickets range from $39.50 to $75. Shrieks, finger-pointing and pokes at life’s absurdities are the trademarks of this two-time Grammy Award winner. Listen and laugh as he explores what he considers the insanity in today’s world.

Brett Goldstein, "The Second Best Night of Your Life," March 28-29, 8 p.m., Providence Performing Arts Center (ppacri.org). Tickets are $39 to $154. Well-known to "Ted Lasso" fans as the scene-stealing footballer-turned-coach Roy Kent, the Emmy-winning British actor, producer, writer and podcaster shares his thoughts on relationships, America vs. Britain comparisons and his work on "Sesame Street."

Lou Greco and Carlo Russo, “The Uncle Louie Variety Show,” Saturday, April 27, 8 p.m., Greenwich Odeum, East Greenwich (greenwichodeum.com). Tickets range from $35-$45. Sit back for what's billed as the “premier old school comedy experience” as the two offer hilarious peeks at growing up Italian-American. Characters like Pasqualino, Zia Maria and Zia Rosa roll through comedy sketches, combined with original music, improv and astute crowd work.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Top comedy shows coming to RI, from Kathy Griffin to Lewis Black